Resting in peace?
President Duterte blamed "jet lag" as the reason why he skipped the APEC gala dinner, as well as the traditional "family photo" where world leaders have their group photo taken, all dressed up in the host country's traditional attire. I remember when the annual APEC summit was held in the country last year. US President Barack Obama wore a barong Tagalog, along with other world leaders. Duterte's absence on both events did not sit well with former President Fidel Ramos, saying it was "his duty to be there at all times." He could have skipped the dinner, but not the traditional photo. Indeed, the photo would not have taken long to compose and take. Ramos also said that there are doctors on hand to treat any ailments. Jet lag is not exactly a life-threatening disease the last time I looked. Other world leaders coming from Asia like Japan and Europe would have also experienced jet lag, but were at all APEC events and functions.
Perhaps, it is because Duterte has accomplished what he wanted to do, which was to meet his idol, Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, he was able to talk to both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which he now considers as friends. It only reinforces Duterte's wish of a "new world order" with China and Russia. According to Ramos, both the dinner and the photo shoot would have been a good opportunity for world leaders to informally talk among themselves a plethora of topics and issues. That was a missed opportunity on the part of Duterte.
Ramos did not waste time calling out the Duterte administration for the "blitzkrieg" burial of the late Ferdinand Marcos. Calling "a step backward for the Duterte administration" and an "insult to soldiers," Ramos pointed out the connivance of the Marcos family with some members of the AFP and the police. A Philippine Air Force helicopter was supposedly rented by the Marcos family to fly the body from Ilocos to Metro Manila. He was given a military funeral, complete with a 21-gun salute and a flag draped over the coffin. Ramos has joined the numerous critics of the burial, with protests along with several legal actions being planned to undo the burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
President Duterte's call for those affected by the late dictator's actions to move on has fallen on deaf ears. This is not at all helped by the Marcos family's continued refusal to acknowledge the wrongdoings of Martial Law and show remorse, even being defiant. Imee has gone on record to say that she was too young at the time of Martial Law, something totally refuted by Ramos. The body of the late dictator may have been buried at the LNMB, but if it is finally resting in peace is another story.
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